St. John's University Athletics
PREGAME QUOTES: No. 11 St. John’s vs. No. 6 North Carolina
St. John’s Head Coach Joe Tartamella, graduate student guard Mimi Reid and redshirt senior Jayla Everett spoke to the media ahead of Saturday’s NCAA Tournament First Round matchup against sixth-seeded North Carolina
St. John’s Head Coach Joe Tartamella
On his thoughts on North Carolina…
“They've got certainly talented players. They've got talent at every single position. A dynamic point guard that I think really kind of drives them in their ability to play with the pace that they play at. Certainly they've got a great ability to put pressure on the rim, whether it be attacking the paint with the drive, or how they play from a midrange game. They have skilled players who can make threes. They do present issues in the pace that they play at times, I think. Then obviously having a point guard like they do, certainly you have to account for what she's doing during every possession of the game. We'll have our work cut out for us in the way they want to push us, similar to how Purdue played. So obviously we'll do the best we can.”
On controlling the tempo…
“I think it is for us no matter who we're playing. I think any team probably would say they want to be able to control the tempo and the way they want to play. Certainly for us, I think it's always been a mixture all year of the kind of tempo that we play with. So when we have the ability to push it, we have to be able to finish in transition when we can, then also have the ability to execute in the halfcourt.”
On turning the squad’s focus after last night’s big win…
“You have the ability to celebrate it for a little bit last night, then they know there's more work ahead. It's been our focus all year. The next game's the most important one. Obviously, the magnitude changes a little bit because obviously we know if we don't win, we go home.
I think that in and of itself allows us to focus as a group. The experience that we have on our roster, their ability to lock in at what we have to [do] and focus on for the next phase here in facing North Carolina, they know what they need to do. When you have leadership like we do, it becomes a lot easier as a coach.”
On having a NCAA Tournament game under their belt…
“Certainly having played in the arena is great. You kind of have a little bit more familiarity. At the same time you have the backside of that of having to have played a game. But I think, again, winning breeds confidence. Understanding the surroundings, Then we've just got to continue to take care of ourselves physically and obviously mentally, as well.”
Redshirt senior guard Jayla Everett
On her previous experience playing North Carolina …
“Playing against North Carolina, it's always a high-intensity game. They move really fast in transition, getting up and down the court. I think that we just have to stay composed, not let them speed us up, play within, play together really.”
Graduate student guard Mimi Reid
On keeping composed during close games like last night’s win over Purdue…
“When it comes to handling emotions, one thing I can say is [Head Cach] Joe Tartamella allows us to be who we are. Jayla Everett is high energy, then a player like myself who is mellow. I think being able to manage everybody in that time frame, just keeping the main thing the main thing as we always say, was the biggest goal for us last night. That's what we did in order to pull out the win.”
On heading into Saturday’s game undefeated in non-conference play…
“When it comes to confidence, building that momentum, that comes from within, not so much what we've done in the past because what's done is done and you move forward. I feel like you got to take it next game, next day, next play.”
On his thoughts on North Carolina…
“They've got certainly talented players. They've got talent at every single position. A dynamic point guard that I think really kind of drives them in their ability to play with the pace that they play at. Certainly they've got a great ability to put pressure on the rim, whether it be attacking the paint with the drive, or how they play from a midrange game. They have skilled players who can make threes. They do present issues in the pace that they play at times, I think. Then obviously having a point guard like they do, certainly you have to account for what she's doing during every possession of the game. We'll have our work cut out for us in the way they want to push us, similar to how Purdue played. So obviously we'll do the best we can.”
On controlling the tempo…
“I think it is for us no matter who we're playing. I think any team probably would say they want to be able to control the tempo and the way they want to play. Certainly for us, I think it's always been a mixture all year of the kind of tempo that we play with. So when we have the ability to push it, we have to be able to finish in transition when we can, then also have the ability to execute in the halfcourt.”
On turning the squad’s focus after last night’s big win…
“You have the ability to celebrate it for a little bit last night, then they know there's more work ahead. It's been our focus all year. The next game's the most important one. Obviously, the magnitude changes a little bit because obviously we know if we don't win, we go home.
I think that in and of itself allows us to focus as a group. The experience that we have on our roster, their ability to lock in at what we have to [do] and focus on for the next phase here in facing North Carolina, they know what they need to do. When you have leadership like we do, it becomes a lot easier as a coach.”
On having a NCAA Tournament game under their belt…
“Certainly having played in the arena is great. You kind of have a little bit more familiarity. At the same time you have the backside of that of having to have played a game. But I think, again, winning breeds confidence. Understanding the surroundings, Then we've just got to continue to take care of ourselves physically and obviously mentally, as well.”
Redshirt senior guard Jayla Everett
On her previous experience playing North Carolina …
“Playing against North Carolina, it's always a high-intensity game. They move really fast in transition, getting up and down the court. I think that we just have to stay composed, not let them speed us up, play within, play together really.”
Graduate student guard Mimi Reid
On keeping composed during close games like last night’s win over Purdue…
“When it comes to handling emotions, one thing I can say is [Head Cach] Joe Tartamella allows us to be who we are. Jayla Everett is high energy, then a player like myself who is mellow. I think being able to manage everybody in that time frame, just keeping the main thing the main thing as we always say, was the biggest goal for us last night. That's what we did in order to pull out the win.”
On heading into Saturday’s game undefeated in non-conference play…
“When it comes to confidence, building that momentum, that comes from within, not so much what we've done in the past because what's done is done and you move forward. I feel like you got to take it next game, next day, next play.”